Port Huron State Game Area Day

Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Wildlife Division staff are hosting a tour of the Port Huron State Game Area on Saturday, September 24, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The MDNR field office at 6181 Lapeer Road in Kimball Township will serve as the central meeting location, and MDNR staff will be set-up to interact with attendees.

The primary goals for this event are to:

  • Increase awareness of State Game Areas and make them more accessible to users, including hunters and non-hunters
  • Showcase the Port Huron State Game Area
  • Make MDNR Wildlife Division staff and local partners more accessible
  • Celebrate and showcase MDNR partnerships with the public

The Thumb Land Conservancy (TLC) is encouraged by this well-deserved attention to one of the most significant natural areas in the region. Several TLC members have promoted the Port Huron State Game Area, including Bob Haas who worked for the MDNR Fisheries Division for many years and authored the Black River Assessment. Bob passed away in June.

TLC Member John Fody did much of the field work to produce the 2012 Natural Features Inventory and Management Recommendations for the Port Huron State Game Area.

Tour planning is underway and will include driving and walking. There will be activities for kids at the field office, including a nature loop they can check out. They will have combo kits of blaze orange hats and vests to give out, as well as some other goodies that are still to be determined.

Reporting for WGRT – George James

Gov. Whitmer Announces Additional Food Benefits Assistance In September

With the cost of living going up these days, Some Michiganders are feeling the pinch. From fuel to food, many families are finding it more difficult to manage their budgets in accordance with the rate of inflation. To combat this and help lower the price of groceries, those who receive food assistance benefits will be given an extra $95 in the month of September. 

Governor Whitmer made the announcement concerning additional benefits on Tuesday September 14th. Eligible recipients should receive the additional assistance by September 26th. “This extra $95 monthly payment will lower grocery bills and help households use more of their hard-earned dollars for bills, school supplies, and other essential expenses,” says Whitmer. 

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. The additional assistance will help more than 1.3 million residents in more than 700,000 households.

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

Power Outages On The Rise In Michigan

Have you experienced more power outages this year than you can recall in comparison to previous years? The analysis conducted by nonprofit research group Climate Central, has shown that there’s a reason for that.

From 2000 to 2021 83% of outages were caused by weather related events which may intensify as the climate continues to warm. Kaitlyn Trudeau, data analyst for Climate Central says, “The system we have right now was not built in a time and climate we’re experiencing now.”

The largest number of power outages were reported in Texas, followed by Michigan, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. 

According to Trudeau the climate crisis will continue to cause issues and force grid operators to encourage residents to use less electricity when the supply is unable to meet the demands placed on the system. The solution to the problem would require states to invest in smart grid technologies, as well as improving the current system to withstand more severe weather changes. 

Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell

100 Women Who Care 2022 - Photo: Chamira Studios

Mid City Nutrition Wins $10,000 Grant from Women’s Initiative

The 100 + Women Who Care event, sponsored by the Women’s Initiative of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, gathered over 200 women to support area nonprofits last week. The event granted over $12,000 to three organizations that care for area residents, animals, and the environment.

Attendees of the 100 + Women Who Care event nominate their favorite nonprofit when they purchase their ticket. The evening of the event, three nonprofits are drawn at random and representatives from each get to pitch to the crowd.

After hearing from ladies representing Friends of the St. Clair River, Blue Water Area Humane Society, and Mid City Nutrition, the crowd voted for the most compelling plea. Mid City Nutrition secured first place and received a $10,000 grant for their programs that include providing daily meals for people at their Port Huron location.

100 Women Who Care 2022 – Photo: Chamira Studios

The Blue Water Humane Society came in second place and received a grant for $1,500, and Friends of the St. Clair River was third and given $500.

New this year, the committee gave three $250 grants to organizations chosen by the winner of a purse contest. Those gifts went to Blue Water Area YMCA, Riley Gleason Foundation, and Hunter Hospitality House.

To learn more about the Women’s Initiative of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, visit https://www.stclairfoundation.org/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Detroit Auto Show Mixes Cars with Dinosaurs

This year’s North American International Auto Show is promising big fun for families. Show organizers have paired interactive auto-themed experiences with life-sized automated dinosaurs to attract visitors of all ages.

The public show runs from September 17th – 25th and takes place indoors and outdoors around the main display areas at Huntington Place.

Families can check out the Air Mobility Experience, a series of flight demonstrations taking place in the skies above the show grounds and the Detroit River and Hart Plaza, and then they can head over to Bronco Mountain and Camp Jeep to experience a ride in a new vehicle on a specialty test-track.

Auto Show organizers are also promising a new perfect complement to the show with the new Dinosaur and Off-Road Vehicle Encounter. This give show-goers the chance to see over 80 massive dinosaurs at various experiences throughout the show along with educational activities, crafts, and fossil digs.

There are plenty more family-themed activities at this years auto show, and there’s even a Family Plan ticket available that gets two adults and up to three children into the show for $50.00.

For more information, visit https://naias.com/

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Fairgoers Reminded to Take Precautions at Events Featuring Swine Exhibits

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced a human case of Influenza A (H1N2)v in the state.  MDHHS and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are urging fairgoers to take precautions to prevent infection at upcoming fairs where swine may be exhibited.

The case was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sept. 9, in a Berrien County fairgoer who had contact with swine at the Berrien County Youth Fair

The following are steps Michiganders can take to protect themselves and prevent the spread of any illness: 

  • Anyone who is at high risk of serious flu complications and is planning to attend a fair should avoid pigs and swine barns.
  • Refrain from eating or drinking in livestock barns or show rings.
  • Do not take toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, strollers or similar items into pig areas.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Avoid contact with pigs if you have flu-like symptoms. This includes being in a swine barn if you are ill as influenza can be spread via respiratory droplets.
  • If you are sick, stay home from work or school until your illness is over.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease in pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly circulate among swine. Swine influenza viruses do not usually infect humans, but human infections have been reported.

Symptoms of swine influenza in people are similar to the seasonal flu and can include fever, cough, runny nose, and sometimes body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. On rare occasions, swine influenza in humans can lead to severe diseases, such as pneumonia or death.

This is the first case of Influenza A(H1N2)v confirmed in Michigan this year. Five cases of human infection with influenza variant viruses that usually spread only in pigs were reported to CDC in August 2022. To date, no person-to-person spread associated with the five recent variant influenza virus infections has been identified.

Reporting for WGRT – George James